Friday, November 28, 2008
Steak, Salad and Stuffed Tomatoes
A simple, weeknight dinner.
The steak is simply marinated in worcestershire and steak seasoning, then pan fried in a bit of butter and oil for approx 4 minutes on each side (for med-rare).
The salad is just some lettuce simply dressed in a homemade balsamic vinaigrette.
The stuffed tomatoes are a new favorite of mine.
Labels: beef, dinner recipes, grains, homemade, salad, tomatos
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Caramelized Leek, Sundried Tomato and Bacon Quiche
This is a great lunch that is quick and easy to reheat at work.
-4 cups 1/2 and 1/2
-2 cups grated cheese
-8 eggs
-2 leeks, thinly sliced
-1 cup sun-dried tomatoes, minced
-5 slices bacon, diced
-salt and pepper to taste
Cook bacon until crispy and then remove from the pan, reserving the grease. Caramelize the leeks over low heat in teh bacon grease until soft. Mix everything together and ladle into greased muffin tins. Bake on 350 for about 15 minutes, until the tops are brown and a toothpick comes out clean.
-2 cups grated cheese
-8 eggs
-2 leeks, thinly sliced
-1 cup sun-dried tomatoes, minced
-5 slices bacon, diced
-salt and pepper to taste
Cook bacon until crispy and then remove from the pan, reserving the grease. Caramelize the leeks over low heat in teh bacon grease until soft. Mix everything together and ladle into greased muffin tins. Bake on 350 for about 15 minutes, until the tops are brown and a toothpick comes out clean.
Labels: eggs, homemade, leeks, lunch recipes, quiche, tomatos
Friday, October 17, 2008
Baked Stuffed Tomatoes
It's rare that a vegetarian dish can really satisfy us, but this one did and I think it will become a new favorite in our repertoire.
-10 medium tomatoes, halved and gutted
-2 cups grated cheese
-1 cup cooked barley
-1/4 cup pine nuts
-1/3 cup pureed, roasted peppers
-1 handful of fresh parsley, minced
-3 cloves garlic, minced
Mix everything except the tomatoes together and then fill the tomatoes with the mixture. Bake on 375 for about 25 minutes, then finish under the broiler for a few minutes, until the tops are browned.
-2 cups grated cheese
-1 cup cooked barley
-1/4 cup pine nuts
-1/3 cup pureed, roasted peppers
-1 handful of fresh parsley, minced
-3 cloves garlic, minced
Mix everything except the tomatoes together and then fill the tomatoes with the mixture. Bake on 375 for about 25 minutes, then finish under the broiler for a few minutes, until the tops are browned.
Labels: dinner recipes, grains, homemade, tomatos
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese
Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup
Tonight was a night for comfort food. Since I'm sure everyone knows how to make a grilled cheese, I'm not going to go into that.
Roasted Tomato Soup
-15 San Marzano tomatoes
-2 tb balsamic
-1/2 cup cream
-1 can chicken broth
-salt and pepper to taste
Halve the tomatoes and place, cut side up, in the large baking dish. Season with balsamic, salt and pepper and roast on 375 for about 35-40 minutes, or until soft and bubbly. Pour into a soup pot, add the chicken broth and puree with an immersion blender. Add the cream and season to taste. Dip your grilled cheese and eat.
-15 San Marzano tomatoes
-2 tb balsamic
-1/2 cup cream
-1 can chicken broth
-salt and pepper to taste
Halve the tomatoes and place, cut side up, in the large baking dish. Season with balsamic, salt and pepper and roast on 375 for about 35-40 minutes, or until soft and bubbly. Pour into a soup pot, add the chicken broth and puree with an immersion blender. Add the cream and season to taste. Dip your grilled cheese and eat.
Labels: dinner recipes, homemade, soup, tomatos
Saturday, August 09, 2008
Summer BBQ
We had a housewarming party at our new place and took full advantage of the backyard and the grill it came with.
Sliders
Giao made these delicious sliders using a technique he learned from Alton Brown of the Food Network. Basically, he rolled out the meat in a large baking sheet until it was about 1/4 inch thick, then he seasoned the meat in a single layer with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Finally, he folded the meat over on itself. Then we cut the sheet of perfectly seasoned meat into even squares with a pizza cutter. The sliders were very, very good. They were juicy and they were perfectly seasoned in every bite. For buns, we simply used Costco dinner rolls.
Black Bean Salad
This was a nice side for our meaty sliders.
-2 cans corn, drained
-2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
-10 tomatos, diced
-4 large Armenian cucumbers, peeled and sliced
-olive oil
-lime juice
-salt and pepper
Combine the olive oil, lime juice, salt and pepper together to form a dressing in whatever proportions you like (if you have too much, just save it for another salad). Combine all of the ingredients and dress with the dressing. Give the salad and hour for 2 for the flavors to meld. This is best served at room temperature.
Red Cabbage and Carrot Slaw
A tasty, non-mayo-y, slaw.
Sliders
Giao made these delicious sliders using a technique he learned from Alton Brown of the Food Network. Basically, he rolled out the meat in a large baking sheet until it was about 1/4 inch thick, then he seasoned the meat in a single layer with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Finally, he folded the meat over on itself. Then we cut the sheet of perfectly seasoned meat into even squares with a pizza cutter. The sliders were very, very good. They were juicy and they were perfectly seasoned in every bite. For buns, we simply used Costco dinner rolls.
Black Bean Salad
This was a nice side for our meaty sliders.
-2 cans corn, drained
-2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
-10 tomatos, diced
-4 large Armenian cucumbers, peeled and sliced
-olive oil
-lime juice
-salt and pepper
Combine the olive oil, lime juice, salt and pepper together to form a dressing in whatever proportions you like (if you have too much, just save it for another salad). Combine all of the ingredients and dress with the dressing. Give the salad and hour for 2 for the flavors to meld. This is best served at room temperature.
Red Cabbage and Carrot Slaw
A tasty, non-mayo-y, slaw.
-1 head red cabbage, shredded
-2 carrots, peeled and shredded
-3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
-1/4 cup agave nectar
-1 ts salt
-1 ts celery salt
-1 ts pepper
Combine all of the ingredients except the cabbage and carrots and stir to make a dressing. Pour the dressing over the other ingredients and let sit for an hour or two before serving. Best served at room temperature.
-2 carrots, peeled and shredded
-3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
-1/4 cup agave nectar
-1 ts salt
-1 ts celery salt
-1 ts pepper
Combine all of the ingredients except the cabbage and carrots and stir to make a dressing. Pour the dressing over the other ingredients and let sit for an hour or two before serving. Best served at room temperature.
Labels: black beans, burger, cabbage, carrot, corn, cucumber, homemade, salad, tomatos
Tuesday, August 05, 2008
Oxtail Stew
Hearty Oxtail Stew
This was meaty, not too gamey and very filling.
-3 lbs oxtails
-1 onion, diced
-6 large carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
-3 turnips, peeled and cut into chunks
-1 can chickpeas, drained
-1/2 cup brown rice
-1 bunch turnip greens, diced
-2 cans diced tomatoes
-water to cover
-1 tb turmeric
-1 tb fenugreek powder
-salt and pepper to taste
-1 onion, diced
-6 large carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
-3 turnips, peeled and cut into chunks
-1 can chickpeas, drained
-1/2 cup brown rice
-1 bunch turnip greens, diced
-2 cans diced tomatoes
-water to cover
-1 tb turmeric
-1 tb fenugreek powder
-salt and pepper to taste
Brown the oxtail in a deep pot. Add the onions, carrots and turnips and cook for a few minutes. Add the spices and stir to combine. Add everything else. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and simmer, uncovered, for about 2 hours.
Labels: carrot, chickpeas, dinner recipes, homemade, oxtail, rice, stew, tomatos, turnip, turnip greens
Monday, August 04, 2008
Ribs and Salad
Another simple, summer, weeknight meal.
Chili Rubbed Baby Back Ribs
We make these in our beloved Ron Popiel "Set It and Forget It" Rotisserie Grill. Click here for the recipe.
Cucumber, Tomato and Avocado Salad
This hearty, no-lettuce salad was dressed with the juice of 1 lime, a touch of olive oil, salt and pepper. It was a very good salad.
Chili Rubbed Baby Back Ribs
We make these in our beloved Ron Popiel "Set It and Forget It" Rotisserie Grill. Click here for the recipe.
Cucumber, Tomato and Avocado Salad
This hearty, no-lettuce salad was dressed with the juice of 1 lime, a touch of olive oil, salt and pepper. It was a very good salad.
Labels: avocado, cucumber, dinner recipes, homemade, ribs, salad, tomatos
Monday, July 14, 2008
Zuchinni Lasagna
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Lamb Chops and Summer Salad
Pan Fried Lamb Chops
-1 ts salt
-1 ts ground fennel
-1ts pepper
-4 lamb chops
Mix the spices and coat the lamb chops in the spice rub. Pan fry on medium high heat for 2 minutes on all sides.
Summer Salad
-2 summer squash, quartered and thinly sliced
-1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
-1 ts course salt
-2 tb balsamic vinegar
Mix all ingredients thoroughly and serve.
-1 ts salt
-1 ts ground fennel
-1ts pepper
-4 lamb chops
Mix the spices and coat the lamb chops in the spice rub. Pan fry on medium high heat for 2 minutes on all sides.
Summer Salad
-2 summer squash, quartered and thinly sliced
-1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
-1 ts course salt
-2 tb balsamic vinegar
Mix all ingredients thoroughly and serve.
Labels: dinner recipes, homemade, lamb, squash, tomatos
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Caraway Crusted Pork Chop with Summery Rice Salad
This was alight summer meal we ate on the balcony.
Pork Chops
-2 pork chops
-1 tb ground caraway
-1 ts salt
-1 ts pepper
-1 ts powdered orange rind
Mix all the spices and rub all over the pork chops. Panfry the pork chops over medium heat for about 6 minutes on each side.
Rice Salad
-1 cup leftover cooked basmati rice
-10 cherry tomatoes, halved
-1 bulb fennel, thinly sliced
-1/4 onion, thinly sliced
-a few handfuls of spinach, sauteed briefly
- juice of 1/2 lime
-salt and pepper to taste
-1 tb balsamic vinegar
Mix all ingredients and serve room temperature.
-2 pork chops
-1 tb ground caraway
-1 ts salt
-1 ts pepper
-1 ts powdered orange rind
Mix all the spices and rub all over the pork chops. Panfry the pork chops over medium heat for about 6 minutes on each side.
Rice Salad
-1 cup leftover cooked basmati rice
-10 cherry tomatoes, halved
-1 bulb fennel, thinly sliced
-1/4 onion, thinly sliced
-a few handfuls of spinach, sauteed briefly
- juice of 1/2 lime
-salt and pepper to taste
-1 tb balsamic vinegar
Mix all ingredients and serve room temperature.
Labels: dinner recipes, fennel, homemade, pork, rice, salad, spinach, tomatos
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
Meatballs with Tomato Cream Sauce and Erbette Chard
Meatballs
-1 lb ground meat
-1 tb garlic powder
-1 egg
-salt and pepper to taste
-1 tb Italian seasoning
-1/2 cup grated parmasean
Mix everything thoroughly with you hands and roll into 1 inch balls. Pan fry the meatballs in a few tb of olive oil until crispy on the outside and done in the middle. Drain on paper towels.
Sauce
-3 cans diced tomatoes
-4 cloves garlic
-1/2 onion, chopped
-2 tb Italian seasoning
-salt and pepper to taste
-1 cup heavy cream
-1 bunch chard
In a saucepot, sautee the onions and garlic over medium heat until beginning to brown. Add everything except the cream and chard and stir to combine. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and simmer, covered for 45 minutes. In a separate pan sautee the chopped chard until tender. Set aside. When sauce has simmered for 45 minutes, remove from heat and puree. Then add the cream and the sauteed chard. Pour the sauce over the meatballs and serve.
-1 tb garlic powder
-1 egg
-salt and pepper to taste
-1 tb Italian seasoning
-1/2 cup grated parmasean
Mix everything thoroughly with you hands and roll into 1 inch balls. Pan fry the meatballs in a few tb of olive oil until crispy on the outside and done in the middle. Drain on paper towels.
Sauce
-3 cans diced tomatoes
-4 cloves garlic
-1/2 onion, chopped
-2 tb Italian seasoning
-salt and pepper to taste
-1 cup heavy cream
-1 bunch chard
In a saucepot, sautee the onions and garlic over medium heat until beginning to brown. Add everything except the cream and chard and stir to combine. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and simmer, covered for 45 minutes. In a separate pan sautee the chopped chard until tender. Set aside. When sauce has simmered for 45 minutes, remove from heat and puree. Then add the cream and the sauteed chard. Pour the sauce over the meatballs and serve.
Labels: chard, dinner recipes, homemade, tomatos, turkey
Thursday, April 03, 2008
Mustard Balsamic Samlon with Fennel-Artichoke-Radish Salad
A simple, quick weeknight meal.
Mustard Balsamic Salmon
-1 lb salmon filet
-1 tb whole grain mustard
-3 tb balsamic vinegar
Mix the mustard and the vinegar and pour over the salmon. Bake on 350 for about 15 minutes, until the fish flakes easily with a fork but is still moist.
For the salad, simply combine radishes, artichoke hearts and cherry tomatoes, all halved and coat in your favorite homemade vinaigrette.
-1 lb salmon filet
-1 tb whole grain mustard
-3 tb balsamic vinegar
Mix the mustard and the vinegar and pour over the salmon. Bake on 350 for about 15 minutes, until the fish flakes easily with a fork but is still moist.
For the salad, simply combine radishes, artichoke hearts and cherry tomatoes, all halved and coat in your favorite homemade vinaigrette.
Labels: artichoke, dinner recipes, homemade, radish, salad, salmon, tomatos
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
We had a cabbage in our CSA box and Alexis immediately thought of cabbage rolls. Cabbage rolls take a bit of preparation, but they are satisfying in that way that only stick-to-your-ribs Eastern European food can be.
-1 head cabbage
-1 lb ground beef
-6 cloves garlic, 3 minced, 3 whole
-1 onion, 1/2 minced, 1/2 chopped
-1 tb paprika
-salt and pepper to taste
-2 eggs
-2 cups sourkraut
-3 cans diced tomatoes
-2 tb Italian seasoning
In a saucepan, sautee the chopped onion and whole garlic for a few minutes in a bit of olive oil. Then add the tomatoes and the Italian seasoning. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and then simmer, covered for about 45 minutes. Then puree. Set aside
With your hands, mix together the ground beef, minced garlic, minced onion, eggs, paprika, salt and pepper. Set aside.
Core the cabbage and place the head in boiling water for about 8 minutes. Remove the head, and when it is cool enough to handle, carefully remove the leave and place them on paper towels to dry out a bit.
More instructions below:
Take a golf ball sized hunk of meat and roll it into an oblong ball. Place on a cabbage leaf near the bottom/rib.
Roll the meat in the cabbage leaf, burrito style.
In the bottom of a deep, oven-safe pot, place a layer of sourkraut. Then add a layer of cabbage rolls, then cover with tomato sauce. Repeat until all of the cabbage rolls are gone.
Then place the pot in the oven, covered, on 375. Bake for 1.5 hours.
Remove from the oven and serve topped with a dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt
-1 head cabbage
-1 lb ground beef
-6 cloves garlic, 3 minced, 3 whole
-1 onion, 1/2 minced, 1/2 chopped
-1 tb paprika
-salt and pepper to taste
-2 eggs
-2 cups sourkraut
-3 cans diced tomatoes
-2 tb Italian seasoning
In a saucepan, sautee the chopped onion and whole garlic for a few minutes in a bit of olive oil. Then add the tomatoes and the Italian seasoning. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and then simmer, covered for about 45 minutes. Then puree. Set aside
With your hands, mix together the ground beef, minced garlic, minced onion, eggs, paprika, salt and pepper. Set aside.
Core the cabbage and place the head in boiling water for about 8 minutes. Remove the head, and when it is cool enough to handle, carefully remove the leave and place them on paper towels to dry out a bit.
More instructions below:
Take a golf ball sized hunk of meat and roll it into an oblong ball. Place on a cabbage leaf near the bottom/rib.
Roll the meat in the cabbage leaf, burrito style.
Repeat until all your cabbage leaves are filled.
In the bottom of a deep, oven-safe pot, place a layer of sourkraut. Then add a layer of cabbage rolls, then cover with tomato sauce. Repeat until all of the cabbage rolls are gone.
Then place the pot in the oven, covered, on 375. Bake for 1.5 hours.
Remove from the oven and serve topped with a dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt
Labels: beef, cabbage, dinner recipes, homemade, tomatos
Monday, January 07, 2008
Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup: A Childhood Classic
We got home late from a movie and Alexis made herself a treat from childhood...and it was tasty.
A Classic Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Yum. Made in the old-school sandwich maker, this was easy and tasty. And you gotta love the scalloped design.
Quick Creamy Tomato Soup
This was quick to make and perfect for dipping a grilled cheese sandwich into.
A Classic Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Yum. Made in the old-school sandwich maker, this was easy and tasty. And you gotta love the scalloped design.
Quick Creamy Tomato Soup
This was quick to make and perfect for dipping a grilled cheese sandwich into.
-1 can diced tomatoes
-handful fresh basil, chopped
-salt and pepper to taste
-1/2 can chicken broth
-splash of cream
Simmer all ingredients except cream for about 20 minutes. Puree, then add the cream and serve. Serves two.
-handful fresh basil, chopped
-salt and pepper to taste
-1/2 can chicken broth
-splash of cream
Simmer all ingredients except cream for about 20 minutes. Puree, then add the cream and serve. Serves two.
Labels: dinner recipes, homemade, soup, tomatos
Sunday, December 02, 2007
Chicken Tetrazinni with Tomato and Cucumber Salad
Turkey Tetrazinni is a common dish for dealing with leftover turkey, but we didn't have turkey, we had a rotisserie chicken. This dish was tasty and filling and very easy to make.
Chicken Tetrazinni
-1 rotisserie chicken, shredded
-4 packages shirataki noodles, chopped
-2 cups peas
-1 cup heavy cream
-3 tb butter
-3 tb soy flour
-2 tb vermouth
-salt and pepper to taste
-1 cup shredded mild cheese
-1/2 cup shredded parmasean
-10 shallots, thinly sliced
-1 cup cream cheese
-2 eggs, beaten
Sautee the shallots in a bit of olive oil until soft. Place in a large bowl with the shredded chicken, eggs and the peas. Boil the shirataki noodles for 1 minute, drain and place in the bowl. In a sauce pot, make a roux with the butter and soy flour. Add the cream, the vermouth, the cream cheese and the salt and pepper and whisk until smooth. Simmer for several minutes, until thick. Add the sauce you just made and the shredded mild cheese to the bowl with the rest of the ingredients. Mix to thoroughly combine ingredients. Pour into a 9x13 greased baking dish and bake, covered with foil, on 400 for about 30 minutes. When it looks solidified, sprinkle the parm on top and bake, uncovered, for another 5 minutes or so, until the top is bubbly and brown.
-1 rotisserie chicken, shredded
-4 packages shirataki noodles, chopped
-2 cups peas
-1 cup heavy cream
-3 tb butter
-3 tb soy flour
-2 tb vermouth
-salt and pepper to taste
-1 cup shredded mild cheese
-1/2 cup shredded parmasean
-10 shallots, thinly sliced
-1 cup cream cheese
-2 eggs, beaten
Sautee the shallots in a bit of olive oil until soft. Place in a large bowl with the shredded chicken, eggs and the peas. Boil the shirataki noodles for 1 minute, drain and place in the bowl. In a sauce pot, make a roux with the butter and soy flour. Add the cream, the vermouth, the cream cheese and the salt and pepper and whisk until smooth. Simmer for several minutes, until thick. Add the sauce you just made and the shredded mild cheese to the bowl with the rest of the ingredients. Mix to thoroughly combine ingredients. Pour into a 9x13 greased baking dish and bake, covered with foil, on 400 for about 30 minutes. When it looks solidified, sprinkle the parm on top and bake, uncovered, for another 5 minutes or so, until the top is bubbly and brown.
Labels: chicken, cucumber, peas, shirataki noodles, tomatos
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Easy Roasted Tomato Soup with Chicken Sausage
Since we've been getting so many tomatoes in our CSA box, we've been making a lot of tomato soup. For this variation, use the soup recipe here and just add about 4 or 5 sliced, pre-cooked chicken sausages and a handful of chopped cilantro. I used habanero chicken sausages and they gave the soup quite a kick. Note that because the chicken broth and the sausages both contain a fair amount of sodium, there's no need to add extra salt to this soup.
Labels: dinner recipes, homemade, sausage, soup, tomatos
Monday, October 15, 2007
Roasted Tomato Soup with Mini-Meatballs
We joined a CSA and now we find ourselves with tons of veggies each week. Alexis has resorted to making soup, which is good, since it's getting colder now. This soup was hearty and delicious.
Roasted Tomato Soup
-15 San Marzano Sauce Tomatos, cut in half lengthwise
-1/2 onion, roughly chopped
-2 cans chicken broth
-4 cloves garlic, peeled
-1 handful fresh basil
-salt and pepper to taste
-some olive oil
Place the tomatoes cut side up in a large baking dish. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and olive oil. Roast on 350 for about 1/2 an hour. In a large pot, sautee the onions and garlic until beginning to brown. Add in roasted tomatoes and 2 cans of chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then puree. Add in the fresh basil and puree a bit more.
Mini-Meatballs
-1 and 1/2 lbs ground beef
-1 egg
-1/2 cup parmasean
-2 tb Italian seasoning
-1 ts garlic powder
-1 ts salt
-1 ts ground pepper
Mix all the ingredients until thoroughly combined. Roll 3/4 inch diameter meatballs and pan fry in 2 batches in a few Tb of veggie oil.
Add the meatballs to the soup just before serving.
-15 San Marzano Sauce Tomatos, cut in half lengthwise
-1/2 onion, roughly chopped
-2 cans chicken broth
-4 cloves garlic, peeled
-1 handful fresh basil
-salt and pepper to taste
-some olive oil
Place the tomatoes cut side up in a large baking dish. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and olive oil. Roast on 350 for about 1/2 an hour. In a large pot, sautee the onions and garlic until beginning to brown. Add in roasted tomatoes and 2 cans of chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then puree. Add in the fresh basil and puree a bit more.
Mini-Meatballs
-1 and 1/2 lbs ground beef
-1 egg
-1/2 cup parmasean
-2 tb Italian seasoning
-1 ts garlic powder
-1 ts salt
-1 ts ground pepper
Mix all the ingredients until thoroughly combined. Roll 3/4 inch diameter meatballs and pan fry in 2 batches in a few Tb of veggie oil.
Add the meatballs to the soup just before serving.
Labels: beef, dinner recipes, homemade, soup, tomatos
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Snacks at TomatoFest at the Quail Lodge Resort, Carmel, CA
We went to TomatoFest for an afternoon of food and wine. Over 60 restaurants provided small dishes using the tomato as a main ingredient and many wineries were offering tastings of probably hundreds of wines. Overall, we were very disappointed in the quality of the food and in the poor planning of the event. Although there were 2500 attendees, each restaurant only provided 1000 portions. This means that there was absolutely no way for each person to try each dish and that if you wanted to try even some of them you had to find your way through crowds of obese guests elbowing their ways to the front of the line. It was a bit of a spectacle. Anyways, as far as the food goes, there were very few items that we ate more than a bite of. A few items were good, most were mediocre and a few were so disgusting that we had to spit it out in the garbage. For the $90 entry fee, this event did not provide a $90 experience in terms of food. It was a fun event, however, full of music and drinks, etc. And if you aren't food snobs like we are, you probably would have enjoyed the food a bit more. Full disclosure: The folks at TomatoFest were kind enough to offer us discounted tickets.
Fried Green Tomato
Sorry for the awful picture. This morsel, which was offered on trays as we walked in the gate, was actually quite tasty. It was made with a firm tomato and had a crunchy, flavorful crust.
Pulled Pork with Tomato Sauce from Chef Ted Consoli at Sticks, The Inn at Spanish Bay
Not terrible, if a bit sweet.
Tomato and Mozzerella Shooter from Peppoli at Pebble Beach, The Inn at Spanish Bay
Thick, tomatoey and refreshing.
Tomato and Fish Ball on Bread from Isabella's Italian Seafood and Steaks
Hard and just not a good flavor combo.
Fried Provolone with Tomato Slice, Salad and Bread from The Forge in the Forest
Not only was this dish inedible, the chef didn't even bother to attempt to use the tomato in an interesting way, he just threw a tomato slice on a soggy piece of fried cheese.
Asagio Kashi Risotto with Marble Stripe and Brandywine Tomato Sauces from the Marriot Monterey
The tomato sauces were pretty tasty, but the combo of risotto with tomato sauce was a bit weird.
Tomato Meringue Pies from Chef Bunyan Fortune at the Terrace Grill at La Playa Hotel
While this was an interesting and inspired idea, the execution was terrible. If the chef had gone savory instead of sweet, this would have been a winner.
Ceviche from Bahama Billy's Island Steakhouse
Giao thought this was very good, as did Alexis' mom. It was fresh and the acidity and sweetness of the tomatos really added to the dish.
Shrimp Fritter on a Corn Cake with Tomato Oil and Avocado Creme Fraiche from The Sardine Factory
The shrimp was good, but the corn cake was tough.
Tomato-Avocado Thing with Fried Something from Chef Wendy Brodie at The Art of Food
While Alexis really liked this, she can't for the life of her remember what it was.
Tomato and Salmon Bruschetta from Farallon
Seriously, if you are going to present a dish as a part of a festival, why would you do the most common item you could think of, and then not do it very well?
Tomato Tartlettes from Chef Dory Ford of Bon Appetit at the Monterey Bay Aquarium
These were tart and light. A nice little bite. One of the better attempts at a tomato tart. The filling almost tasted like lemon meringue.
Tomato Goop of Some Sort from Chef Patrick Durant of Stillwater Bar and Grill at the Lodge at Pebble Beach
Not memorable in any way. We can't even remember what it was.
Fried Olive from Chef Anthony Keene at Carmel Valley Ranch
Terrible. Fried and cold just don't go together.
Tomato Mojito from Executive Chef Phillipe Breneman at Paragon Restaurant and Bar
Yummy. An inspired use of the tomato.
Shrimp and Tomatoes on a Chip from Chef Michael Dunn at Yankee Pier
Nothing really going on here. It was edible, but that's about it.
Tomato Lasagna from Tusca Ristorante
The flavor was ok, but it was rather cold and the top was so hard we couldn't get a fork through it.
Soupy Tomatos and Seafood from Chef Christopher Caul at Christopher's on Lincoln
Ok, but not memorable.
Tomato Sorbet from Chef Colin Moody at Asilomar Conference Grounds
Alexis loved this. And we also saw a lot of little kids who really seemed to love this.
Heirloom Tomato Sorbet with Shrimp Tartare, Avocado and Cilantro from Marinus Restaurant at Bernardus Lodge
We liked the idea of this dish, but just having eaten such a lovely sorbet, this one sort of fell flat and the fishiness was a bit weird.
We're not sure where this cam from, or what it was, but maybe that's a good thing because it was by far the most disgusting thing we tried all day. Alexis spit it out. It was semi-frozen and nutty and gross.
Crab Salad with Tomato Sorbet from Pacific's Edge
The concept of this dish was great, but the crab was way too mayo-y, which made the sorbet taste weird.
Tomato Gelatin with Shrimp, Celery and Cream from L'Auberge Carmel
Giao thought that for sure Alexis would hate this, but actually, she liked it. The tomato flavor was clear and bright.
Shrimp Log and Tomatoes on a Cracker from Chef A. Scott Cater at Casablanca Restaurant
Pretty gross, actually.
Heirloom Tomato, Goat Cheese and Basil Sorbet on a Puff Pastry from the California Culinary Academy
This was one of the better dishes. The basil sorbet was great and all of the flavors melded well.
Lobster Roll from Edgar's
This was one of the best items we had. It was seasoned well and the lobster was tender. We ate the whole thing.
Peach, Green Tomato and Salmon Sorbet from the Google Kitchens
Weird.
Ice Cream from Monterey Plaza Hotel
Tasty, and pretty, but it didn't seem to really contain tomatoes.
Goat Cheese Quesadilla from ??
Quesadillas are never bad.
TomatoFest
Quail Lodge Resort
8205 Valley Greens Drive
Carmel, CA 93923
Fried Green Tomato
Sorry for the awful picture. This morsel, which was offered on trays as we walked in the gate, was actually quite tasty. It was made with a firm tomato and had a crunchy, flavorful crust.
Pulled Pork with Tomato Sauce from Chef Ted Consoli at Sticks, The Inn at Spanish Bay
Not terrible, if a bit sweet.
Tomato and Mozzerella Shooter from Peppoli at Pebble Beach, The Inn at Spanish Bay
Thick, tomatoey and refreshing.
Tomato and Fish Ball on Bread from Isabella's Italian Seafood and Steaks
Hard and just not a good flavor combo.
Fried Provolone with Tomato Slice, Salad and Bread from The Forge in the Forest
Not only was this dish inedible, the chef didn't even bother to attempt to use the tomato in an interesting way, he just threw a tomato slice on a soggy piece of fried cheese.
Asagio Kashi Risotto with Marble Stripe and Brandywine Tomato Sauces from the Marriot MontereyThe tomato sauces were pretty tasty, but the combo of risotto with tomato sauce was a bit weird.
Tomato Meringue Pies from Chef Bunyan Fortune at the Terrace Grill at La Playa Hotel
While this was an interesting and inspired idea, the execution was terrible. If the chef had gone savory instead of sweet, this would have been a winner.
Ceviche from Bahama Billy's Island Steakhouse
Giao thought this was very good, as did Alexis' mom. It was fresh and the acidity and sweetness of the tomatos really added to the dish.
Shrimp Fritter on a Corn Cake with Tomato Oil and Avocado Creme Fraiche from The Sardine Factory
The shrimp was good, but the corn cake was tough.
Tomato-Avocado Thing with Fried Something from Chef Wendy Brodie at The Art of Food
While Alexis really liked this, she can't for the life of her remember what it was.
Tomato and Salmon Bruschetta from Farallon
Seriously, if you are going to present a dish as a part of a festival, why would you do the most common item you could think of, and then not do it very well?
Potato and Sweet Corn Vichysoisse with Concasse of Heirloom Tomatoes from Executice Chef Peter Pank of Silverado Resort
This was one of the few dishes that was memorable in a good way. It was refreshing and used the tomatoes as nice accent. The only thing that would have been better is if it were a bit smoother in texture.
This was one of the few dishes that was memorable in a good way. It was refreshing and used the tomatoes as nice accent. The only thing that would have been better is if it were a bit smoother in texture.
Tomato Tartlettes from Chef Dory Ford of Bon Appetit at the Monterey Bay Aquarium
These were tart and light. A nice little bite. One of the better attempts at a tomato tart. The filling almost tasted like lemon meringue.
Tomato Goop of Some Sort from Chef Patrick Durant of Stillwater Bar and Grill at the Lodge at Pebble Beach
Not memorable in any way. We can't even remember what it was.
Fried Olive from Chef Anthony Keene at Carmel Valley Ranch
Terrible. Fried and cold just don't go together.
Tomato Mojito from Executive Chef Phillipe Breneman at Paragon Restaurant and Bar
Yummy. An inspired use of the tomato.
Shrimp and Tomatoes on a Chip from Chef Michael Dunn at Yankee Pier
Nothing really going on here. It was edible, but that's about it.
Tomato Lasagna from Tusca Ristorante
The flavor was ok, but it was rather cold and the top was so hard we couldn't get a fork through it.
Soupy Tomatos and Seafood from Chef Christopher Caul at Christopher's on Lincoln
Ok, but not memorable.
Tomato Sorbet from Chef Colin Moody at Asilomar Conference Grounds
Alexis loved this. And we also saw a lot of little kids who really seemed to love this.
Heirloom Tomato Sorbet with Shrimp Tartare, Avocado and Cilantro from Marinus Restaurant at Bernardus Lodge
We liked the idea of this dish, but just having eaten such a lovely sorbet, this one sort of fell flat and the fishiness was a bit weird.
We're not sure where this cam from, or what it was, but maybe that's a good thing because it was by far the most disgusting thing we tried all day. Alexis spit it out. It was semi-frozen and nutty and gross.
Crab Salad with Tomato Sorbet from Pacific's Edge
The concept of this dish was great, but the crab was way too mayo-y, which made the sorbet taste weird.
Tomato Gelatin with Shrimp, Celery and Cream from L'Auberge Carmel
Giao thought that for sure Alexis would hate this, but actually, she liked it. The tomato flavor was clear and bright.
Shrimp Log and Tomatoes on a Cracker from Chef A. Scott Cater at Casablanca Restaurant
Pretty gross, actually.
Heirloom Tomato, Goat Cheese and Basil Sorbet on a Puff Pastry from the California Culinary Academy
This was one of the better dishes. The basil sorbet was great and all of the flavors melded well.
Lobster Roll from Edgar's
This was one of the best items we had. It was seasoned well and the lobster was tender. We ate the whole thing.
Peach, Green Tomato and Salmon Sorbet from the Google Kitchens
Weird.
Ice Cream from Monterey Plaza Hotel
Tasty, and pretty, but it didn't seem to really contain tomatoes.
Goat Cheese Quesadilla from ??
Quesadillas are never bad.
Quail Lodge Resort
8205 Valley Greens Drive
Carmel, CA 93923
Labels: event, restaurant, review, tomatos
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